There are two readings that are similar to each other. One is called, “Shame,” by Dick Gregory, and the other is called, “Salvation,” by Langston Hughes. The major similarities found in the two readings are lying to fit in and longing for something/ someone.
The two readings also have a similar introduction like the setting which takes place in Missouri, both authors are young, and are memoirs. The two readings have so much in common and have very detailed similarities too. In the two readings, fitting in was a major concept.Both authors had to lie in order to fit in. In “Shame,” Gregory lied about having a father. He tells his teacher, “My daddy said he’d give…fifteen dollars.
” (Gregory 4). Gregory makes it seem like he has a father, who told him he would give him fifteen dollars. The teacher knew he didn’t have a father. The teacher said “we know you don’t have a daddy.
” (Gregory 4). This just proves that the teacher knows he was lying. This made Gregory have such a painful feeling. In the reading “Salvation,” Hughes lies to his aunt about seeing Jesus when actually he doesn’t.Hughes says “I cried, in bed alone, and couldn’t stop. I buried my head under the quilts, but my aunt heard me. She woke and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus. ” (Hughes 9).
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He was actually crying because he felt so bad about lying and couldn’t tell his aunt. The two authors had to lie to fit in; they both feel some sort of guilt. Another similarity in the two readings are the two characters longing for something/someone.
Gregory longs for the girl he liked in school named Helene Tucker.He always wanted her attention. He would do just about anything to get her. He mentions “Everyone’s got a Helene Tucker, a symbol of everything you. ” (Gregory 2). He always wanted everything to deal with Helene Tucker.
He wanted to be accepted by Helene. On the other hand, Hughes wanted acceptance from Jesus. He wanted to be able to see Jesus and be saved by him. Hughes says “And I kept waiting serenely for Jesus, waiting, waiting – but he didn’t come. I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me. Nothing! ” (Hughes 8-9).He explains how much he wanted to see Jesus but nothing has happen.
Since everyone in the community has been saved, he felt pressure from his aunt so he actually wanted to be saved. The two readings have longings for something/ someone in life. They both have some sort of desire in their childhood. From the reading “Salvation,” I can relate to it to my personal experience. Not only did I long for something/someone. I wanted to see Jesus too. I know somewhere in my heart I feel him but I just haven’t seen him yet. I still have faith unlike Hughes.
When I read the memoir, I found Hughes was very similar to me. Sometimes I feel guilty feel ashamed of myself for not seeing him but I know that I will see him in the near future. After all, I found lying to fit in and longing for something/someone is the similarities between the two stories. From writing this essay, I learned that everyone lies at some point in their lives. Also, everyone longs for something in their life. The two readings are very similar to what people deal with in everyday life. Both topics of similarities are about desire.
